Helm slows frame startup (was Re: Slow frame-startup)

[torys.anderson@gmail.com (Tory S. Anderson)]

Well, it's verified for me; running emacs client, new frames (via `C-x 5 2` or any other new-frame method) take 2-3 times longer to start if Helm is enabled. Does anyone know a fix? My .emacs loads a helm-config.el containing the following: 

;;;;
;; HELM
(global-set-key (kbd "C-c h") 'helm-command-prefix)
(require 'helm)
(require 'helm-config)
;(require 'helm-eshell)
(require 'helm-files)
(require 'helm-grep)

;; The default "C-x c" is quite close to "C-x C-c", which quits Emacs.
;; Changed to "C-c h". Note: We must set "C-c h" globally, because we
;; cannot change `helm-command-prefix-key' once `helm-config' is loaded.
(global-unset-key (kbd "C-x c"))
(global-set-key (kbd "M-x") 'helm-M-x)
(global-set-key (kbd "M-y") 'helm-show-kill-ring)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-f") 'helm-find-files)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x b") 'helm-mini)

(define-key helm-map (kbd "<tab>") 'helm-execute-persistent-action) ; rebihnd tab to do persistent action
(define-key helm-map (kbd "C-i") 'helm-execute-persistent-action) ; make TAB works in terminal
(define-key helm-map (kbd "C-z")  'helm-select-action) ; list actions using C-z

(define-key helm-grep-mode-map (kbd "<return>")  'helm-grep-mode-jump-other-window)
(define-key helm-grep-mode-map (kbd "n")  'helm-grep-mode-jump-other-window-forward)
(define-key helm-grep-mode-map (kbd "p")  'helm-grep-mode-jump-other-window-backward)

(when (executable-find "curl")
  (setq helm-google-suggest-use-curl-p t))

(setq helm-quick-update                     t ; do not display invisible candidates
      helm-split-window-in-side-p           t ; open helm buffer inside current window, not occupy whole other window
      helm-buffers-fuzzy-matching           t ; fuzzy matching buffer names when non--nil
      helm-move-to-line-cycle-in-source     t ; move to end or beginning of source when reaching top or bottom of source.
      helm-ff-search-library-in-sexp        t ; search for library in `require' and `declare-function' sexp.
      helm-scroll-amount                    8 ; scroll 8 lines other window using M-<next>/M-<prior>
      helm-ff-file-name-history-use-recentf t)

(helm-mode 1)

(add-to-list 'winner-boring-buffers "*helm M-x*")
(add-to-list 'winner-boring-buffers "*helm mini*")
(add-to-list 'winner-boring-buffers "*Helm Completions*")
(add-to-list 'winner-boring-buffers "*Helm Find Files*")
(add-to-list 'winner-boring-buffers "*helm mu*")
(add-to-list 'winner-boring-buffers "*helm mu contacts*")
(add-to-list 'winner-boring-buffers "*helm-mode-describe-variable*")
(add-to-list 'winner-boring-buffers "*helm-mode-describe-function*")
;;;;

torys.anderson@gmail.com (Tory S. Anderson) writes:

> I use emacs-client, and new frames often. Lately, however, I've noticed that it can take up to 5 seconds for a new frame to start up. There seems to be work going in to loading Helm completion each time, so I've disabled helm for a while to see how the performance is. But it has me thinking; what other things (say, in your .emacs file) can contribute to slow frame start-ups with an already-running emacs/emacs-server instance?